Directory or index



Dec. 8, 1931. A. G. DiACK DIRECTORY OR INDEX Filed April 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l jventar Fri/7w" Q!) 216/ M j tic/M3919 Dec. 8, 1931. A. G. DIACK DIRECTORY OR INDEX Filed April 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1931 Alumina. nIAcK; or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA r DIRECTORY oninmix Applicationrfiled April 28,

This invention relates to a flexible strip particularlyadapted to be used in the construction of telephone directories, indices or the like. When in use, thisstrip is mounted Withits ends wrapped on rollers,both of Which are positively drivenQsov that either roller may take up the strip being unwound from the. opposite roller. This enables the strip to be readily moved in either direction across an observation point. It might seem feasible to construct such "a strip of metal plates or panels jointed together and constructedto receive removable cards carrying any desired printed matter,but such plates are not adapted to wrap upon a roller;

Furthermore, a strip" constructed of 's'u'cli' plates is relatively unextensible'fsofthat .it'a strip constructed ot plates is employed, some means must be embodied in 'thefmounting for the strip that will make provision for moving the strip to and fro without subjecting it to dangerous tension. In thisconnection, it should be; understood that where a strip of this kindis'wound on rollers at its ends, when the roller takingup the strip has received more wraps upon it than the opposite roller carries, the virtual diameter of the take-up roller is so much greater than the virtual diameter of the opposite roller that the strip will be subjected to strains. Under opposite circumstances where the roller taking up the strip is of-smaller virtualdiameter than theopposite roller, if both rollers are positively driven, the roller of larger virtual diameter will 'pay out the strip faster than the other roller can take it up, thereby producing slack in the strip.

The general objectiof this invention is to provide a strip which is inexpensive to construct and which is composed of panels jointed together and having joints connecting the panels of such a nature as to give the stripconsiderable extensibility and enabling it to be Wound upon rollers, both of which are positively driven always at the same speed. r 7 e t Affurther object ofthe invention is to provide a strip 'of thisl'character'which can be readily constructed of very thin material, such as paper, thewraps or coils of which 1930. seria1 No.v448, 094. A i

V will be'verycompact ona roller so that many wraps-can be received ona roller without greatly increasing the virtual diameter of thereby dispensin g with any specialmeans for shi ftingtthe point of application of the drive from one roller to the other when-it, is

desired to reverse the direction ofmovement V offthe strip past the observation point.

A-further object of the invention, is to produce a panel to be used in making such a strip, as referred to above, which can be 'readilyformed of paper or similar material adapted to carry printing andwhich'can be readily disconnected from the strip so as to be replaced by ,anotherwpanel, for example,

where there has been achange in an; address ora telephone number.

A further object of the invention-is to provide a device of*thiskindwhichis readily adapted to be mounted in a convenient position for carrying indices, telephone numbers or the like, so that the desired data contained in thestrip carriedin the device can be readily accessible. a h

Further objects of the invention willappear hereinafter, I The invention consists of novel parts and combinations of parts to be described hereinafter, all ofwhich contribute to produce aneflicient directory or index. V

A preferredembodiment of the invention is describedin the following specification, while'the broad scope-of the invention is pointed out in the appended claimsl 5 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan ofanindex 'or directory embodying my invention partially broken away and shown in section so asto illustrate the mechanism for suppor ing and operating the different index strips which may be used in the device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section and partial elevation taken about on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section through the device taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and further illustrating how the device adapts itself to include a plurality of units, each of which may carry a plurality of strips. In Figure 3 each unit is supposed to carry three strips.

Figure 4 is a plan showing thecharacteristics of the blank which I prefer to employ in forming the panels.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on about line 55 of Figure 1, upon an enlarged scale and particularly illustrating the joint formed at the point of connection of the panels with each other.

Figure 6 is a transverse partial section on lined-6 of Figure 1.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, 1 represents the strip embodying my invention which is composed of a plurality of panels 2, said panels being connected together at their ad jacent edges 3 so as to form a continuous strip or belt.

lVhen this strip is to be put in use the panels will have names and addresses upon them or any other data which is to be readily accessible by means of this apparatus. The'panels 2 are connected together so that they can be readily disconnected. In order to facilitate this and to enable them to be printed upon as in a typewriter or with a stamp, the panels are preferably constructed of ordinary paper. Each panel preferably is formed from a blank 4 having the general characteristics illustrated in Figure 4. This blank is of substantially rectangular form with a central' opening located near its longitudinal axis, and this opening is preferably formed with a transverse bar 6 that divides the opening into two openings or slits 7 in alignment with each other. The side edges 8 of the blank are formed with tongues 9 which are disposed in pairs projecting laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the strip, that is to say, they project transversely to the strip, and they preferably project outwardly toward the adjacent side edge of the strip. These tongues 9 are constructed so that between the inner edge 10 of each tongue and r the transverse edge 8 of the blank, a narrow slit or opening 11 is formed. In forming the panel from the blank the panel is folded on its longitudinal axis so as to bring two opposite tongues into juxtaposition with each other. In other words, the panel is formed of two juxtaposed leaves 12 that form its body with the slits 7 located at the folded edge 13 (see Figure 5). lVith the panels in this shape the juxtaposed tongues 9 are manipulated so as to thrust them through the slits 7. In this way, the panels are linked together so as to form a continuous strip.

The presence of the joints between the panels enables the strip to be wrapped upon rollers, as will now be described.

In Figure 2 I illustrate a simple type of apparatus for mounting a strip 1 of the character described above. This apparatus includes a cover 14 which may conveniently form a portion of the top of the desk, being covered by a glass plate 15. This cover 14 is provided with slots 16 and 17 which permit the, strip to pass up from below to the upper side of the cover so that the strip can pass along on a depressed face 18 under the glass 15, at which point the strip will be in plain view of an observer operating it. The ends of the strip are wrapped upon two rollers 19 and 20. These rollers are mounted so as to be rotated positively in unison by means of bevel gears 21carricd on a common shaft 22 that extends through the front wall 23 of the casing of the device and carries a knurled head 24 to enable the shaft to be rotated.

The construction illustrated in Figure 2 is admirably adapted for increasing the number of strips that may be desired. As illustrated in Figure 3, l contemplate mounting the strips in units, each unit consisting of three strips. The rollers 19 and carrying strips may be mounted between brackets or standards 25 attached to the bottom board 26 of the device.

If it were attempted to employ a continuous strip of material and Wind it on rollers, such as illustrated, of equal diameter and r0- tating at the same angular velocity, the strip would be subjected to considerable tension under the circumstances illustrated in Figure 2, assuming that the right-hand roller 20 was winding up the strip, because the virtual diameter of the roller 20 is much greater than that of the roller 19. I find, however, that a strip constructed in accordance with my invention has so much lost movement in the joints connecting the panels that it can be readily used with two positively driven rollers, as illustrated, without tearing the strip and without producing slack in the strip, if there is not too great a difference in the effective diameters of the rollers.

It will be evident that the strip is extremely useful for carrying telephone numbers or similar information which is subject to frequent changes, l'JGCiLUSB the panels can be directly written upon on a typewriter and because they can be replaced by others having any new data or information. The slits 7 are located to one side of the folding line 13.

The reason for this is, that when the panel is formed by folding the blank on its longitudinal axis the slits 7 will be formed entirely in one of the leaves. This facilitates the introduction of the tongues into the slits in connecting the panels together.

It is obvious that my strips 1 can be em-' ployed in machines having other constructions of rollers and driving means for moving the strips. 7

It is understood that theembodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

I claim:

l. A strip to be used in a directory, index, or the like, consisting of a plurality of panels connected together at their adjacent edges,

each panel consisting of two superposed leaves connected together on an edge transverse to the strip and having an opening adjacent said connected edge, the edge of each panel opposite to the connected edge having tongues to extend into the opening for interlocking the panels with each other.

2. A stripto be used in a directory, index or the like consisting of a plurality of panels connected together at their adjacent edges, each panel consisting of two superposed leaves connected together integrally on afolded edge transverse to the strip and having an opening adjacent said folded edge, the edge of each panel opposite to the folded edge having tongues to extend into the opening for interlocking the panels with each other. i

3. A strip constructed as described in claim 2 in which the said openings are formed in one of the leaves only, so as to facilitate the introduction of the said tongues.

4. A strip constructed as described in claim 1 in which the tongues are formed in pairs, each tongue projecting laterally toward a corresponding side edge of'the strip..

5. A blank to be used in forming a panel for a directory or index strip consisting of a substantially rectangular body having a transverse opening adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and having a pair of integral tongues on each of theedges parallel with said longitudinal axis, each of said tongues projecting in an outward direction toward its corresponding side edge of the blank.

6.. A strip to be used in a directory index or the like, consisting of a plurality of panels connected together at their adjacent edges, I

each panel consisting of two superposed leaves connected together at an edge transverse to the strip, and having an opening adjacent said connected edge, the edge of each panel opposite to the connected edge having ton ues disposed in pairs to extend into the opening in the adjacent panel for interlocking the panels with each other.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 17th day of April, 1930. j

V ARTHUR G. DIACK. 

